US Department of Labor announces grants to help formerly incarcerated juveniles and women enter the workforce

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The Daily Ardmoreite

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Posted Mar. 1, 2013 at 12:00 PM

Posted Mar. 1, 2013 at 12:00 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of approximately $32 million through two grant competitions that will offer job training, education and support services to formerly incarcerated youths and women.

The department will award a total of $20 million to four organizations to operate programs that work with juvenile offenders and youths at-risk of becoming juvenile offenders in high-poverty, high-crime communities. Each organization may submit only one application for a grant of up to $5 million.

Additionally, the department will award a total of $12 million to eight organizations to provide job training for formerly incarcerated individuals of all ages that leads to industry-recognized credentials. Mentoring and assistance connecting to supportive services such as housing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, and assistance with parenting and child reunification, also will be available to participants. These grants are designed to expand opportunities for both youths and adults who demonstrate characteristics most common to female former offenders. However, services must also be open to eligible formerly incarcerated males. Each organization may submit only one application for a grant of up to $1.5 million.

Reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals is a government-wide effort supported by the Federal Interagency Re-entry Council. Chaired by the U.S. Department of Justice, the council brings together numerous federal agencies to advance policies and programs to make communities safer, assist individuals returning to communities from prison or jail in becoming productive taxpaying citizens, and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration.

Any nonprofit organization with 501 (3)(c) status that meets the requirements of the solicitation may apply. The solicitations for grant applications, which include information about how to apply, are available at http://www.grants.gov.